The law says you need to be covered by a TV Licence to:
This applies to any device you use, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder.
Live TV means any programme you watch or record as it’s being shown on TV or live on an online TV service. It’s not just live events like sport, news and music. It also covers soaps, series, documentaries and even movies.
An online TV service is any streaming or smart TV service, website or app that lets you watch live TV over the internet. This includes services like All 4, Sky Go, Virgin Media, Now TV, BT TV, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and ITV Hub.
Don't forget, a TV Licence also covers you to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand on your television, laptop, mobile phone or any other device.
A standard colour TV Licence costs £157.50. Find out about ways to pay.
Other TV Licence types and costs
A TV Licence covers you to watch or record TV programmes live on any channel or TV service. This includes watching TV live online. A TV Licence also covers you to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer. This applies to any device and provider you use, including:
Some of these devices can be powered solely by their own internal batteries. Your home TV Licence will usually cover you to use these away from home.
However, if you’re away from home and plug one of these devices into the mains and use it to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel or device, or to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer, you need to be covered by a separate TV Licence at that address (unless you’re in a vehicle or vessel like a train, car or boat). It’s the law.
Please tell us if you think you don't need a TV Licence.
Yes, you need a TV Licence to watch TV live online. You need a licence to watch or record any TV programme live, on any channel or TV service. It doesn’t matter if you receive it over the internet, from a cable or satellite provider or through an aerial.
This applies to any provider you use, including BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4, Sky Go, Virgin Media, BT TV, Apple TV, Now TV, YouTube, Roku and Amazon Prime Video. You need to be covered by a TV Licence if you watch live TV on a television, laptop, mobile phone or any other device.
You also need a TV Licence to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand.
Yes. If you record any programme on live TV, you need a TV Licence. It doesn’t matter when you watch it, how you record it or whether you watch TV on a television, laptop or any other device.
You don’t need a licence if you only ever watch on demand or catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer (and you also never watch live TV programmes on any channel, including on iPlayer).
You also don’t need a licence to watch DVDs, Blu-rays or videos.
You need a TV Licence to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand. This applies to any device and provider you use.
Yes. If you record any programme on live TV, you need a TV Licence. Even if the device or technology you use creates a delay between when the programme is shown and when you watch it.
Yes, you do. You need a TV Licence to watch or record any programme that’s being shown on live TV, whether you watch it on a TV, laptop, mobile phone or any other device. This includes repeats of any programmes that have already been shown.
Yes you do – as you’re still watching a programme as it’s being shown on TV, whether you watch it on a TV, laptop, mobile phone or any other device.
Yes, you need a TV Licence to watch live TV programmes being shown on Red Button services.
It doesn’t matter if you receive TV programmes from a cable or satellite provider, through an aerial or over the internet. You still need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel. This also includes watching TV on a television, laptop, mobile phone or any other device.
You need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel or device, no matter where they are broadcast or distributed from. This includes satellite or online streamed programmes from outside the UK or Channel Islands, such as sporting events and foreign shows.
You don’t need a TV Licence to watch videos or clips on demand on YouTube. But you do need a TV Licence if you watch TV programmes live on YouTube. An example of this would be watching Sky News live. But it isn’t just live news or sport which needs a licence – it’s any programme which is part of a TV channel, broadcast or transmitted for everyone to watch at the same time.
Yes. Online-only TV channels still count as live TV, so you need a TV Licence if you’re watching or recording their programmes.
It depends what you watch.
You don’t need a TV Licence if you only ever download or watch on demand or catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer (and you also never watch live TV programmes on any channel, including on iPlayer). And you don’t need a licence to watch S4C TV on demand.
But you will need a licence if you watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or you download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand. This applies to any device and provider you use.
Subscription channels like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Now TV are television services that are normally paid for on a monthly basis via cable, satellite or the internet.
You will need a TV Licence if you watch live TV on a subscription channel. But you don’t need a TV Licence to watch on demand programmes (other than those on BBC iPlayer) on paid-for subscription channels.
You need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel or device, no matter where they are broadcast or distributed from. This includes satellite or online streamed programmes from outside the UK or Channel Islands, such as sporting events and foreign shows.
You don’t need a TV Licence if you:
This could be on any device, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder.
If you only do the following, you don’t need a licence:
Note: if you are a landlord and you provide a TV to allow your tenants to watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, that address needs to be covered by a TV Licence.
If you’re thinking of buying a new TV you may find our TV buying guide helpful.